CNET Editors' Rating

Review Sections

Slimmer is better, provided you get your keyboard right. Belkin's Ultimate Keyboard Case is an attempt to beat competitors like Logitech at their own game by offering a slim keyboard and a cozy protective back cover all-in-one folio-like device. I saw this at CES, and it impressed me with its style.

View full gallery

Sarah Tew/CNET

Fast-forward to April, and I finally have a review unit; it still impresses. Unlike the very thick Logitech Keyboard Folio, the Ultimate Keyboard Case doesn't feel thicker than the standard iPad case. A plastic back merges with an aluminum-backed black plastic keyboard that, while feeling very inspired by Logitech's Ultrathin Keyboard Cover, has its own fit and finish.

View full gallery

Sarah Tew/CNET

With the Ultimate Keyboard Case on, it actually makes the iPad look like a little Chromebook. Some may find the laptop-ification effect unsexy, but I found it comforting, as if it promised no-nonsense easy productivity.

A white model with aluminum on the back and front costs a little more ($129). The black model ($99), which I reviewed, looks great -- but the MacBook-like aluminum shell on the bottom is prone to scuffing, like the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover. Better it than your iPad.